


baby you light up my world (like nobody else)

by bakagayama



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Cuddling, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Sharing a Bed, awkward first kisses, kawanishi just wants to make shirabu feel ok, shirabu is a stubborn brat, shirabu's accursed nightlight, taichi's light-up sneakers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 20:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18709303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakagayama/pseuds/bakagayama
Summary: When the power goes out at Shiratorizawa, Taichi finds himself in a predicament.He knows that his roommate is terribly afraid of the dark (and too damn stubborn to admit it), but does he really want to risk revealing his feelings as he tries to make Shirabu feel better?Fuck it, he thinks, as he moves towards the closet to pull out his absolutely ridiculous, rainbow-colored LED sneakers.(alternatively titled "who needs a nightlight when your roommate owns light-up sneakers?")





	baby you light up my world (like nobody else)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bestboyakaashi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bestboyakaashi/gifts).



> \- a big thanks to @minuted for helping me edit this !! ily sandy  
> \- dedicated to @bestboyakaashi for getting me back in to writing kawashira!! i hope you enjoy <3
> 
> n last but not least,  
> for shirabu's birthday ! (05/04/19)

_**Off** , on. **Off,** on_.

Frowning, Taichi reluctantly paused his cat video and squinted at the faulty dorm lights expectantly, as if staring at them would somehow make them stop flickering.

"Geez, you'd think with its already expensive-as-shit tuition, Shiratorizawa could at least afford to pay its electricity bills," Shirabu muttered, flinching as the sudden flickers started again.

Taichi spared Shirabu an amused glance. “Wouldn’t know. Got in with a sports scholarship, after all,” he commented smugly, going back to his cat video.

“Don’t rub it in.” Shirabu set down his Chemistry book to glare at Kawanishi from across the room.

Taichi grinned lazily, feigning innocence. “Rub what in? The fact that you’re the only one on the team who didn’t get a scholarship?”

“Listen here, you fuck-”

_**Off** , on_.

Shirabu suddenly winced and shivered violently, not even bothering to finish his insult. That’s when Taichi _knew_ something was off. The ginger eyed him carefully before getting up and striding over to Shirabu’s bed, draping himself over his roommates lap.

“Do you mind?” Shirabu scoffed, his tone lacking its usual venom.

Taichi simply hummed noncommittally in response, brows furrowing as he quietly observed how hard Shirabu clutched onto his Chemistry textbook just to keep his hands from shaking. “You’re acting weird,” Taichi said, deciding to speak up after taking in Shirabu’s abnormally pale complexion.

“How so?” Shirabu’s tone was careful, guarded.

The middle blocker drew idle circles on Shirabu’s thigh, thinking of a response. “Dunno.”

Taichi wasn’t stupid. After living with (and being in love with) Shirabu for about two years, of course Taichi had noticed a multitude of things about the setter; he was extremely perceptive as a middle blocker, after all. And it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Shirabu was _afraid of the dark._

(It would explain why Shirabu refused to participate in their class’s haunted house at the cultural festival last year, or why Shirabu vehemently refused to watch any movies from Taichi’s horror collection.)

(Also, it explained the nightlight with little stars and planets on it at the foot of Shirabu’s bed. The thing was neon green and weirdly huge and shone brighter than the fucking sun. Taichi _hated_ that nightlight.)

However, the setter obviously did not want others to find out, given his poor attempts at trying to hide any signs of weakness. Taichi considered bringing it up anyways, but the look on Shirabu’s face kept him from saying anything. _Maybe_ _later_. The ginger shoved his idea to the back of his mind for Future Taichi to deal with.

Instead, he smirked, glancing up at Shirabu through his lashes. “Well, I mean, you’re quiet for once. It’s kind of refreshing.”

“And you’re running your mouth more than usual,” Shirabu shot back, clicking his tongue in annoyance. “Don’t you have a cat video to watch or something?” Grumbling, Shirabu moved to shove Taichi off of him, but froze like a deer caught in headlights once the flickering started again.

_**Off** , on._

The middle blocker frowned at Shirabu, opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“Don’t give that look. I’m fine,” Shirabu insisted stubbornly, refusing to meet the Taichi’s piercing gaze. “I’m fine,” he repeated, softer than before. (Taichi chose not to comment on Shirabu’s trembling lips and tense form, because _really, who was he trying to fool?_ )

Rolling his eyes, the ginger only sighed in response and pushed himself up on the mattress, resting his weight on his elbows. “Scoot over,” he said, nudging Shirabu’s leg with his own.

“Rude. Your bed is literally right there.” Shirabu scoffed, but moved over for Taichi anyway. Immediately, the ginger hummed contentedly and wormed his way into the covers, ignoring his roommate’s halfhearted grumbling. “You’re such a pain in the ass, you know that?”

“Yeah, but you still love me,” shot back Taichi teasingly, tangling their legs together. Shirabu huffed and looked away, the reddening tips of his ears betraying his disinterested expression. “Whatever.”

_He didn’t deny it?_   Taichi perked up at this realization, willing his beating heart to calm down. Instead he gave the setter his signature lazy half-grin and moved to rest his head in the crook of Shirabu’s neck.

“Ugh, Taichi, stop. Your hair tickles and I can’t concentrate,” Shirabu scowled, but did nothing to remove the middle blocker from his presence. “And get your cold feet off of my legs, it’s disgusting.”

Taichi only shrugged, his face schooling into practiced nonchalance. “Deal with it.”

“I fucking despise you.”

“You love me.” _Shit, it slipped out again_. Taichi made a mental note to stop bringing up the L-word.

Shirabu spluttered, turning just about as red as Tendou’s hair, and opened his mouth to retort.

_**Off** , On. **Off** , On._ **Off**.

. . .

Taichi had felt it before his mind caught up to the current situation. He felt the way Shirabu’s entire body had immediately tensed, his breathing becoming labored and shallow, the sound of his book hitting the mattress as Shirabu blindly groped for something, anything to grab onto. Luckily, Taichi found Shirabu’s hand easily in the dark, and gripped it tightly, running his thumb over the back of the setter’s hand soothingly.

The setter inhaled sharply. “T-Taichi?” The boy in question gulped, his heart lurching at the subdued sound of Shirabu’s usually snappy voice.

“Yeah. I’m here.”

“I know.” Shirabu pressed closer against him, all but collapsed against Taichi.

“Hopefully the power will come back on soon,” Taichi reasoned, continuing to hold Shirabu’s hand. Shirabu nodded softly in response, squeezing Taichi’s hand just a little bit tighter.

——

But, as fate would have it, Taichi couldn’t have been more wrong. As more time passed in the dark, Shirabu seemed to get more and more panicked, to the point where he was close to tears.

(When the first sob left Shirabu’s lips, Taichi knew he had to do something, and that he had to do it _now_.)

Wordlessly, he got up from the bed, untangling himself from Shirabu and hurrying to their shared closet. Ignoring Shirabu’s cries of confusion, Taichi rummaged through clothes and junk, determined to find exactly what he was looking for.

“Taichi..? What the fuck? Where did you go? Shit, I’m– I’m scared!” Taichi bit his lip, his heart breaking at Shirabu’s vulnerable tone. This wasn’t the spiteful setter he knew; Taichi never wanted hear the choked up pain behind his best friend’s usually irritable voice ever again.

Gritting his teeth, he sped up and was finally able to locate the birthday gift he had received last year as a joke from Tendou. Putting the rainbow-colored, light up sneakers on his feet, he finally made his way out of the closet and positioned himself in front of Shirabu’s bed.

Taichi took a deep breath. Then he proceeded to stomp around Shirabu’s bed as loudly and ridiculously as he could, continuing to embarrass himself for a good three minutes. And he did it all with his patented Neutral Face, making the situation ten times more laughable than it really was. But then, when Taichi looked over for the first time since he’d started embarrassing himself, he found that all oxygen had suddenly left his lungs. Even with the room awash in the glow of thousand colorful LEDs, it was Shirabu’s smile that caught his attention.

At that moment, Taichi knew, without a doubt, that his roommate’s grin was the most beautiful sight he had ever encountered. Shirabu smiled wide and big, as his teary eyes, filled with unbridled mirth, crinkled at the corners while he shook with laughter at the hilarity unfolding before him. Taichi never wanted to look away.

As they locked gazes, he unconsciously began to step closer, entraced by Shirabu’s soft pink flush and twinkling eyes. He could feel his heart racing, practically popping out of his chest, but he willed himself to calm down as he took the leap. “Kenjirou?” Taichi moved to sit down on the bed space next to Shirabu.

“...Yeah?” Shirabu had stopped laughing since then, but his lips still held a small, tender smile.

“I think–” Taichi fumbled, ignoring his useless reminder from earlier. “I think I’m in love with you.”

Shirabu held his steady stare for a few seconds before his gaze suddenly flickered to Taichi’s lips, giving Taichi his answer. “I think I’m in love with you too,” Shirabu admitted honestly, finding himself leaning closer to Taichi.

Taichi licked his lips nervously. “I’m going to kiss you now. Is that okay?” he mumbled softly, cupping Shirabu’s cheek gently.

Shirabu simply nodded, closing the gap between them himself as he pressed their lips together impatiently. Letting out a small, satisfied noise, Taichi pulled him closer, then ran his thumb down Shirabu’s cheek affectionately. The setter hummed in appreciation, running a hand through Taichi’s short ginger locks, and Taichi all but shivered at the touch. They continued like this for what seemed like a blissful eternity, until they ran each other completely breathless.

“...You’re ridiculous, you know that?” Shirabu said breathily as they pulled apart, a hint of a smile on his swollen lips.

“Yeah, but only for you,” Taichi muttered as he leaned back in for another kiss.

\--

They kissed until the last of the tension leached from Shirabu’s body, and held each other close as Taichi pulled up a cat video on his dying phone, and held increasingly absurd dance-offs with the light-up sneakers until the lights finally flickered back on an hour later. And when Shirabu whispered “Thank you, Taichi,” before pulling him in for another kiss, his copper eyes were just as brilliant in the light as they had been in the dark.

(And if Taichi had to ask Shirabu what he had gotten out of the whole ordeal?)

(Maybe, just maybe, Shirabu decided the dark wasn’t so bad after all.)

.  
.  
.

(Taichi still needed to talk to him about that damn nightlight, though.)


End file.
